Chapter 4: Breakthrough!

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Shen Ran followed the house numbers.

He went all the way to Room 24.

In contrast to the dense immortal aura and spiritual cranes circling the Ninth Summit, this place was filled with birds and flowers.

The servant quarters stank of sweat, feet, feces, and urine. There was also noise and laughter.

This made Shen Ran frown slightly, feeling a little unaccustomed.

This place did not look like a cultivation place at all.

It was more like a noisy market square in the mortal world.

“Knock knock knock.”

Shen Ran knocked on the wooden door of the room. Seeing that there was no response, he pushed open the door and walked in.

The room was not big, only about 30 square meters. It only contained two beds, some wooden cabinets, wooden tables, and other conventional items.

A sallow, thin-haired, slightly wretched-looking old man in tattered black clothes was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

“Aye?”

When the wretched old man heard the sound, he opened his eyes and opened his mouth, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. He looked at Shen Ran. There was surprise in his beady eyes.

“A disciple from the mountains?”

Shen Ran also looked at the old man with big yellow teeth and raised his eyebrows.

“… There’s such an old servant disciple?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the old man with big yellow teeth immediately jumped off the bed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He widened his eyes and glared at Shen Ran.

“What old? I’m only 73 years old this year! I’m in my prime!”

Shen Ran was speechless.

Shaking his head, Shen Ran didn’t say anything more. He walked past him and placed the luggage on the bed.

It seemed that this old man with big yellow teeth was his roommate.

To him, this servant quarters was just a transition.

With the with the narrative modification system and his talent template in which he melded the talents of the Desolate Heavenly Emperor, Heavenly Emperor Ye, individuals with dicoria, and countless other extremely powerful geniuses, it wouldn’t be long before he broke through the Qi Refinement Realm to the Divine Sea Realm.

At that time, he would be able to protect himself even if he left the sect. Then he would leave this servant quarters and the Empyrean Sword Sect.

“Hey, hey, hey, why aren’t you saying anything? Let me ask you, did you really come down from the mountain?”

Old Xu, who had big yellow teeth, seemed to be very friendly. He quickly followed behind Shen Ran and pulled the corner of his sleeve curiously.

Shen Ran paused and turned to look at the old man with big yellow teeth. He raised his eyebrows and said, “It’s rare to see someone coming down from the mountain?”

“Not often, anyway.” The old man with the big yellow teeth scratched his head.

Shen Ran pondered for a moment and understood.

The sect had an assessment every three years. Every time, dozens of people would be eliminated and sent to the servant quarters.

Even after ten years, there were only a few hundred people.

Among these people, most of them would either leave the sect directly and return to the mortal world with their vulgar cultivation, or they would stay in the servant quarters for a period of time and leave when they could not stand it anymore.

It was rare to see someone who could stay in the servant quarters forever.

Compared to the thousands of people in the servant quarters, it was indeed very few.

In fact, most of the servant disciples could not pass the entrance examination of the Empyrean Sword Sect at all. They could not even become official disciples.

“I’m Shen Ran. How should I address you, Senior?” Shen Ran smiled.

“What senior? Just call me Old Xu.” The old man with big yellow teeth grinned, revealing his big yellow teeth.

…

…

Although Old Xu was nothing special, he was a warm-hearted person.

Along the way, Shen Ran completed all the necessary procedures and went to collect the uniform of the servant disciples.

The hierarchy in the Empyrean Sword Sect was clear and strict.

The servant disciples were in black robes, the ordinary disciples on the mountain were in green robes, just like what Shen Ran was wearing previously.

The Chief of the Nine Peaks was dressed in white.

As for the three Dao Seed disciples, they were similar to Wang Qingxuan. There were golden clouds embroidered on the sleeves and collar of their white clothes, and the cloak on their backs was embroidered with the words ‘Dao Seed’ in golden threads.

He would wear the clothes according to the position he was in. He could not cross the line.

When he returned to the dormitory room, the sky had already turned completely dark.

Broken through?

Shen Ran, who had just taken a breather and sat down, was surprised to find that after wandering around for an afternoon, his cultivation level had actually broken through from the sixth level of Qi Refinement to the seventh level of Qi Refinement!

Is this the benefit of having a strong cultivation talent? Shen Ran laughed in his heart.

He clearly didn’t need to cultivate, but he was becoming stronger every second!

There was no realm bottleneck!

He had broken through to the seventh level of Qi Refinement that had evaded him for a year without any obstruction!

At this speed, I should be able to reach the ninth level of Qi Refinement in three days! Shen Ran’s eyes flickered slightly.

“Burp~~” Old Xu burped and pulled Shen Ran’s thoughts back.

“Old Xu, I’ve really troubled you today.” Shen Ran smiled.

“Of course.” Old Xu waved his hand with an accent from his hometown, Lingzhou.

“Little Shen, let me ask you. What’s the scenery on the mountain like?” Old Xu asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Shen Ran thought for a moment and replied with a smile, “The scenery on the mountain is similar to the bottom. It’s nothing more than standing higher and looking further away.”

“Oh.” Old Xu nodded as if he understood.

He had imagined experts coming and going on the mountain, but it didn’t sound like that.

“Old Xu, why are you still a servant disciple at such an old age?” Shen Ran asked.

Old Xu sniffed and grinned, revealing a mouthful of big yellow teeth.

“What’s done is done. My family died a few years ago.”

Shaking his head, Old Xu raised his head and said, “It’s good that they are gone. Don’t have to suffer in the human world. I’m a singleton, I’m without worries and take things easy.

Stay in this servant quarters. Although it’s not a good place, there’s still food to eat and clothes to wear. It’s better than freezing to death outside and being dragged to be chopped up and fed to the dogs.”

With that, Old Xu stood up and stretched before walking out.

“Shen Kid, you have fun here. I’ll go out to drink and play cards.”

Closing the room, Old Xu left.

Shen Ran sat cross-legged on the bed alone. The candlelight flickered, illuminating his cheeks.

It was quiet and peaceful.

He could clearly feel himself growing stronger at a rate visible to the naked eye.

If the Divine Sea was compared to a bucket, a full bucket was a breakthrough.

Then, his previous speed was like drops of water dripping into the bucket. To break through, he would have to cultivate unceasingly for years.

And his current cultivation speed was like turning the tap to the maximum and crazily pouring water into the bucket!

I still have two chances to modify the narratives. The next time I refresh it, I’ll have to reach the Divine Sea Realm.

Therefore, I have to make good use of these two opportunities.

Shen Ran supported his chin with one hand and kept thinking.

“Gulp…”

And then his belly rumbled with hunger.

“Hungry again…”

Shen Ran muttered to himself helplessly.

The Pangu Sacred Body, the Supreme Bones, and the Heavenly Spirit Root were all quite good, but the demand for flesh and blood essence was too great.

Shen Ran finally understood why the cool male protagonists he had read about in his previous life would stew ancient ferocious birds and roast ancient dragons for food.

They weren’t greedy. They were really hungry!

I have to settle my hunger pangs first!

Shen Ran’s eyes flashed as he recalled that there were a hundred thousand mountains at the foot of the Empyrean Sword Sect. There were many primordial descendants living there, so he could kill them to satisfy his needs.

“Bang!”

Shen Ran took a light step and instantly became a shadow that soon disappeared.

Only the oil lamp on the table flickered in the dim light.